Comics Books

The Artist Within showcases comic artists and cartoonists, usually inside their own workspaces, for a unique and thrilling look at how these creative people surround themselves (and therefore what drives them to do the work they do). The photos are stunning, the reproduction brilliant, and any fan of comic art will find many favorites represented inside, with huge black and white photos by Greg Preston, brief bios, and samples of their work.

There is no other book quite like this on the market, and it's about time we got one--and more than that, such a splendid one.

This book, without question is AMAZING! This book should be in every photography class, on every library and a standard for what the artist behind the camera can do.

Mr. Preston has run us through all emotions with this stellar work - he obviously threw his heart and soul into it - enjoy it!! The background of his shots makes one feel they are getting the best vew from his eye.

Thanks for a superior work!!

This book is an amazing study of artists and people. Even if you're not a comic book fan, these images open up the unbelievably private world of an artists' workspace and it's a fascinating study. Every time I leaf through these pages, I notice something new, some detail that you can see reflected in the pen and ink beside it.

And if you are a comic book fan... how can you resist this glimpse backstage?!

You can't. This book is irresistible. Thanks, Greg Preston!

Greg Preston has done an amazing job of photographing some of the worlds most talented and creative artists and getting that extra insight into their personalities by having them pose where they work, in their studios. Since he's been at it for well over a decade, the book luckily remembers many that have since passed away. It's fantastic to see so many people that have inspired me while turning page after page of this huge hardcover, Hogarth, Toth, Wrightson, Kaluta, Smith, Romita among, well, around 95 others! This collection should also put Greg on the map as an exceptional artist himself. You wouldn't even have to care about who he's snapping a camera at to enjoy and appreciate his knockout skill. I'm looking forward to a volume two!

As an artist myself, I am always fascinated to see the working environments of other artists. This book shows a ton of them. It's a huge, over sized book filled with gorgeous photos. I highly recommend it!

It seems like everyone these days is hopping on to the Graphic Novel bandwagon! But with Aya, Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie present a rare side of Africa that one rarely sees. Written from the point-of-view of some tweeny-aged characters, 'Aya' is witty, comical and easy for any reader to relate to. If Abouet's goal was to equalize all youth in the realms of love, hope and sex, then she has certainly done it.
The illustrations and color choices are also amazing. Each character is memorable and distinct.
There are even illustrated recipes in th back!
This is a must-buy!

Marguerite Abouet, Aya (Drawn and Quarterly, 2007)

The last square of the last page of Aya reveals to us that the whole thing was a shaggy-dog joke. But, like the excellent 1960 film Ocean's Eleven, Aya reveals to us something we should know, and often forget-- a shaggy-dog joke, told with flair, is a wonderful thing.

Aya centers on the title character, but only to an extent; this is really an ensemble piece about life in modern-day Yopugon (known in the book as Yop City), on the Ivory Coast of Africa. Westerners may be surprised to note that, aside from the dirt roads and small shops, Yop City will put one in mind of the suburbs in any modern Western civilization, especially in the attitudes of its inhabitants; fashion-conscious teens, power-hungry adults, and kids who just want to be left alone to play videogames (or spy on their older sisters). Wile the book does contain a rather healthy dose of sociopolitical commentary, Abouet never lets it gets in the way of the romantic comedy that dominates the book; in fact, she quite skillfully weaves the sociopolitical stuff in with the romantic comedy in a most impressive way. There are quite a few social-consciousness authors who could take lessons from the relatively young Abouet on how to get their points across without beating the reader over the head with a hammer that smells like dead fish. Of course, if you're entirely ignorant of politics, you can still read Aya simply for the funny; there's more than enough of that to go round. Abouet's next Aya book, Aya of Yop City, is due out later this year; I, for one, can't wait. ****

This is on par with Wil Eisner, Alison Bechdel and Art Spiegelman.. a wonderful, honest look at growing up in Cote d' Ivoire. Wonderfully refreshing in it's detail, art, and topic. A must have for graphic novel fans!

Aya wonderfully captures the true look, feel, and...ENERGY!!! of an African city, in both its lighthearted storytelling and spot-on illustrations! The street scenes, the disco bars, and characters in their 70's duds is just sooooo perfect! Having lived on the Continent for 2 plus years, I go to this book when I want to be swept back there. If you have a love of Africa, or a love of simple storytelling, buy this book!!

I discovered the Aya series while in Paris. I don't speak French, but bought all three books because the illustrations are BEAUTIFUL. Clement Oubrerie's illustrations depict Africans in such a beautiful manner. I can make out the story via the illustrations and love it. I can't wait to purchase the English editions!!!!! Whether you purchase this book in French or English, you won't be disappointed. Lovely, just lovely.

This I by far my favorite out of the four books in this series. Not only is it the funniest one, it has a perfect ending. I can't tell you much more, but I can tell you that they all live happily ever after. That is, if it were a fairy tale. I suggest you read them in order though. You want to save the best for last!

Me being the impatient person I am, I bought this volume first and ruined most of the story for myself ;_;
...but you probably really don't care.
By this time, through 3 books, you'll have picked out your favorite character, related to them in some way, figured out who in your life relates to Mr. Kimura (keep him away from me), and what the heck Azumanga Daioh's come to mean to you. This is the last volume of this story. That's right, go get a hankerchief, I don't want you smearing up the pages. The ending is really meaningful, because the author doesn't go into the whole epilouge thing that leaves you wondering even more. Also, the first few color pages contain some of the funniest moments in the whole book. *sigh* I can't say much else, but that if you like the whole random, really about nothing, overly charming and funny pages Azumanga's been, you know to get this book as darned fast as you can type in the search word and buy it.

This was such a wonderful purchase. I would recomend this book to any Anime or Manga fan.

I have had the awesome pleasure of reading the last volume of Azumanga Daioh (the manga version). By now, everyone who follows this series (that should be a reasonable majority of those with a good taste for manga) will have been familiar with all of the characters in the story. However, the third year, and in effect, the series, begins to come to an end.

Some highlights that I want to point out to all include:

* The story of Maya, in which Sakaki finds the young Iriomote cat, and relishes in having someone to play with.
* Nyamo at the study session in Chiyo's home, where she begins to literally unravel.
* Chopsticks: Osaka seems to have been a bit clairvoyant in corrolating chopsticks with Center exam success.
* Graduation. A wonderful ending to this volume.

With all the manga volumes out for sale, I encourage everybody (you know who you are) to purchase these four treasures, or at least browse through them at your local store if you can. Azumanga is a classic, and if you though the manga was good, wait till you see the anime!

ADV's manga translation team is to be commended. Their cultural notes section is without flaw - except in two cases. I'll get to that.

By now, Osaka has dropped most of her Osak... Italian accent. (why did they make her a mobster in the manga and a hick in the anime?) Chiyo's changed her hair. Sakaki is able to touch a cat without being mamed. A wind of change comes through the world of Azumanga Daioh.

This final volume crams in more funny than the previous three. Along with a good dose of comedy, you learn more about the characters and their lives.

The highlights of this book lie in the shiisaa, the sata andagi, Yamapikaryaa, Osaka's good luck charm, and the final summer vacation... Where, unfortunately, Yukari is awake already.

However there are two problems with the translation. When Tomo buys souveniers, she picks up two notable things: "Chinsuko" and "ukoncha." The cultural notes didn't tell us this, but Tomo was being dirty - thus Yomi's flustered reaction. "Chinsuko," when pronounced a certain way, kinda sounds like one of the terms for the male.. Y'know. "Ukoncha" kind of sounds like "poop tea." I am not making this up. I suppose I can understand why ADV Manga didn't translate this (or maybe they didn't get it), but with the 13+ rating you'd think they would.

Despite the two errors (yay only two!) this fourth volume is a great end to a great story. It makes me cry every time I read the end, and I've read/seen Azumanga a bajillion times.

If you like the art work of Gorey you will love 'Baby's First Mythos'. Perhaps not so much for children as for the adults who share their love of mythical history in reading to their children. The drawings are wonderful and the sense of humor amazing.

My girlfriend has this on her desk, and she handed it to me to read. (My age is over 50) I really chuckled when realizing so many connections to movies. Cthulhu is a very ancient creature - and it was rather funny to realize the 'Davey Jones' character in Pirates of the Caribbean was basically like Cthulhu.

Our eldest daughter is a comic creatrix and I gifted her with one of these books because she likes Gorey so much. I also bought a copy for myself and our now 1 year old granddaughter to share with her later.

IF you love gorey, lovecraft, mythology, and graphic novel type books, this will not only be enjoyed but will be come a collectable.

This book is spectacular, I can't wait until I have a baby to read it to!

This is funny stuff. It gave me a real chuckle.
The new edition with the hard pages is fantastic.
I use this with the 'Call of Cthulhu' roleplay game.
I recommend it for anyone who is in to the mythos.

Very well done. The poems sometimes stretch a bit, but then, it's sometimes hard for find words to rhyme with Nyarlothetep or Cthulhu. The drawings, though, are wonderful. If your intention is to twist your child, much like Wednesday Addams, then this book is essential. Personally, though, I prefer to twist myself, and this book does that very well.

The idea of parodying the typical children's ABC and 123 books by illustrating them with Lovecraft's Elder Gods just tickles my funny bone. Every little snippet of writing, including the author and artist bios, is subtly clever, and the ink drawings are perfect for the subject.

The best part is...I thought I knew a bit about it, but the book actually taught me plenty I didn't know about the Lovecraft mythos. The only complaint (and a slight one at that) is the binding looks the kind that's going to crack and fall apart after not too long, which is a pity, because I'd like it to last long enough to show my own future spawn.

Every Lovecraft fan should get one.

The wicked witch throws a curve ball at a hapless, rookie baseball player! Die with each twist (and sunset) of this horrible tale! Get your Mojo, baby!

I just picked this book up, and can't wait for the next one. (At least I hope there IS another installment; it really deserves a follow-up.)

Bad Mojo is the ultimate "in the wrong place at the wrong time" type of story, and should appeal to anyone who loves horror comics or the work of Stephen King and Clive Barker. Good art, good writing, and the undead...who doesn't like that?

What a twist! William Harms proves that the mastery of the medium he displayed with his previous effort, Abel, wasn't a fluke, with Bad Mojo. More playful than the weighty Abel, Bad Mojo boasts an ingenious premise: a major league ball player, Bruce, wreck's a witch's Volvo. When he tries to throw money at her to make it right, she curses him: each day he'd die at dawn, to be resurrected at dusk. This puts a bit of a dent in his career aspirations.

Harms' command of dialog, pacing and storytelling is augmented perfectly by the masterful art of Steve Morris. The dark story is perfectly complimented by the moody, shadowy black and white drawings. Harms and Morris both prove are both alchemists of the graphic novel medium, turning paper and ink into pure gold. Bad Mojo is a must for any comic fan. I look forward to Harms' next work with high anticipation.

I really dug William Harms' graphic novel Abel, so I was excited to learn that Bad Mojo had hit shelves. And better yet, that it involved witches and (sorta) zombies!

If you've followed his writing in PC Gamer magazine, you know that Harms is a MEGA-fan of the horror genre, and that love and delight definitely come through here. Bad Mojo is infinitely less bleak than Abel, but it keeps the same refreshingly down-to-earth feel that you're pleasantly surprised to find in a comic.

This isn't the stuff of capes and villains---it's regular people coping with the craziness that life sends you...with a supernatural twist. These characters talk like you do; they act like you do; they screw up like you do. And then they try to figure out what the hell to do.

Part 1 leaves you with a serious itch for the rest of the story. You WILL enjoy it.

William Harm's tale of what happens when you mix witchcraft, curses, and zombies with a couple of hapless baseball players makes me remember why the real world can't compare to comics. A wildly imaginative plot, in-your-face dialog, and perfect pacing makes this a must read for the year. I don't remember the last time i finished reading a story feeling like I had to find out what happens next. You won't regret your purchase.

This is a fantastic collection of Batman stories from the 60's. It also has some neat tidbits of information along the way to help the novice Batman fan. The book also included beautiful art work by many talented artists, including Bob Kane himself. This book is a nice book to add to an existing or new collection of superhero fiction.

this is a great book.
plenty of action.
for this price you get
a lot of stories.
you can see how
the charactors grows
with the times.

This is the best of the Batman "decade" collections...much more thought-out than "Batman In The Fifties" and funner and more interesting than "Batman In The Seventies." While Bat-Girl (Betty Kane), Bat-Mite and Batwoman (Kathy Kane) show up briefly, the majority of the book focuses on Batman and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon). The art is great and the stories are smart and fun.

Plus, fans of the Batman TV show will enjoy this collection. While not as dim-witted as the TV show, this collection is just as fun!!!

This book is a must have for any fan of classic Batman. I have all the Batman decade books and this one is by far my favorite.
Not only do you get some great classic Batman and Robin team-up stories,but each one gets a solo story as well. Many other key Bat-family members appear in this book as well including both Batgirls (YES there were two...Betty Kane and Barbara Gordon) and Barbara's Batgirl not only gets one story with Batman and Robin but also a solo story too. Batmite also appears and Batwoman has a cameo.

Villains everywhere in this book. ALL the major crims are here...Joker,Penguin,Riddler,Catwoman,Scarecrow,Poison Ivy and Clayface. This book is a must. Do yourself a favor and buy this book and re-live those childhood memories.

What I enjoy about these tales from Batman in the 60s is that it takes to back in time when the stories were not so dark,and grimm as they are today.If you enjoy the more softer,funner,and colorful side of the caped crusader than this is for you.I'm 16 yeard old and I enjoy everyone of these stories.Every page is fun to read.If there's any graphic novel of Batman collections.Pick up the ones from the sixties.The fifties are nice too.So sit back relax and enjoy this book

Yusaku's grandma is finally going home after what seems like months and Yusaku couldn't be happier. She fit in too well with the other neighbors of Maison Ikkoku that made it their business to torture poor Godai. But she's not going without one last parting shot at getting involved in Yusaku's lovelife. She's asked Kyoko to go out on a date with her grandson! Of course, we all know the date won't turn out like Yusaku fantasizes it will, especially with all his housemates showing up everywhere the couple goes! Godai is also still suffering from an inability to break it off with his on-again off-again girlfriend Kozue. When she knits a sweater for him, Kyoko finds herself unwillingly jealous. In a fight over it, Kyoko causes Yusaku to get injured and he has to spend time in the hospital. Could this be the opportunity he's always wanted? What better way to get attention than from a woman who feels guilty for causing him to get hurt?

Maison Ikkoku is a classic manga which always has a excellent balance and pacing to its storylines. The cool thing about Volume 6 is that we finally get to see some tender moments between Kyoko and Godai which I don't remember seeing before. Yes, they fight with each other, but in little glimpses we see that the two might love each other for real, and not in a puppy dog fashion, but as a man and woman. Their little tiffs are usually based on jealousy or hurt feelings which really disguise their mutual affection. But most of the book is peppersprayed with funny comedy. The art is excellent with the backgrounds especially standing out for the great attention to detail. Awesome manga!

The funniest scene in this book is the "hickey" drama, and how much trouble it brought Godai... Not to mention the horrible way he got it! (yeee-uck!) But still, this one has great laughs. Kyoko's actions seem pretty internally inconsistent IMO, because she does not seem to be okay with either Mitaka nor Godai having possible romantic interests besides herself, but at the same time she seems to have no problem with the fact that she's keeping two swains on the line herself... OTOH, in real life, people aren't as consistent as computers, and so it makes the manga seem both more real, and also gives plenty of laughs, I'm all for it.

This is a GREAT graphic novel! It managed to almost make mecry the first time through, but there was also a good lot of humor init. Even if you haven't read the others before it, the book would still make sense, but familiarity with the series helps, because this book is all about its characters. And what characters! This book really cliches their personalities well! Rumiko Takahashi is great as always, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes humor, drama, graphic novels, or just good books in general!

Takahashi-sensei I love you!! Takahashi-sensei in my humble opinion is one of the greatest manga writers/artists of all time. I know this isn't revolutionary information for the millions who have read her books, but wow! what stories she creates from such simple Ideas. In this volume we finally meet the ever elusive Mr. Ichinose, and let me say he might match his wife physically, but he is much more like our favorite wishy washy student than Godai would like him to be. The main attraction of this particular graphic novel is Kyoko's jealousy. Oh it has made itself evident in several earlier novels, but in this one it really boils over. It begins when Godai's platonic girlfriend Kozue knits Godai a sweater. Godai brings it home and Kyoko almost explodes with jealousy. Godai finally confronts Kyoko and demands that she tell him how she really feels about him, but before any answer can be had. Kyoko almost falls off of the roof of Maison Ikkoku, Godai saves her, but winds up breaking his own leg. This leads to Kyoko and Godai getting closer to each other in the hospital, but the goon squad keep anything from formulating. Also, we get to meet Godai's couin Akira!! Good stuff.

New and stranger troubles visit Yusaku Godai in the sixth volume of the newly rereleased "Maison Ikkoku Volume 6." Rumiko Takahashi's hapless hero continues his efforts to win the woman of his dreams, despite the gaggle of weirdos that surrounds him. And you get the "Lost Episode" too.

It opens with a baseball game, in which Akemi's boss manages to recruit to the residents of Maison Ikkoku (plus hunky Coach Mitaka) to play. Then Godai and Kyoko's relationship hits a huge speed bump when she sees him helping a drunken young woman go into a motel -- and comes to the wrong conclusion. The conclusions get even worse when she sees a hickey on his neck, not knowing that a grieving, half-asleep male friend gave it to him.

Godai's life doesn't get much better when Grandma Godai comes for an indefinite period of time, and starts meddling in his love life, getting the dog drunk, and going to a disco. Overwhelmed and depressed, he goes on a trip elsewhere and encounters a chatterbox hiker, then falls into a well with Kyoko during a festival. And in the "Lost Episode: Yusaku's Island," everyone is stranded on a deserted island, where Kyoko and Yusaku try to keep the others from partying.

The biggest problem with the sixth Maison Ikkoku volume is that it feels a little like it's in a holding pattern -- there really isn't any advancement, unless you count Kyoko biting Yusaku's shoulder. That, and the baseball and marooned-on-a-deserted-island plots are a bit overdone. However, Takahashi's deft sense of humor and strange characters keep the plot floating.

Certainly the storyline about the acid-tongued Grandma Godai is funny -- she doesn't think her wishy-washy grandson has a chance with Kyoko, but she's trying to help him anyway. A development fans will like: Yusaku and Kyoko actually go on a date, only to run into the crazies from Maison Ikkoku. And Takahashi's delicious humor (like the drunken Mrs. Ichinose jumping into the already-fully well) is what keeps the plot moving.

Yusaku hasn't changed too much, but in this storyline his ego takes some blows when he sees Mitaka's luxurious condo, and hears constant derision of his hopes to win Kyoko. And Kyoko's muddled feelings get even more complex. And Grandma Godai is a fun character of Yoda-like stature, still possessing plenty of vitality (even if she keeps talking about dying).

The sixth volume of Maison Ikkoku doesn't really move the plot forward, but it's still a fun, romantic, cute story-line. A recommended read.

This delightful children's classic is CUTE CUTE CUTE, but not TOO cute that my six year old boy doesn't relate to its message. Benny and Penny are honest and heart-warming little mice. Geoffrey Haye's illustrating work shines in this neat, little package.

I have been a fan of Geoffrey Hayes' stories and artwork since I first discovered this wonderful artist so many years ago. I've collected almost all of his books and am always amazed at his imagination. He creates whole worlds peopled with the most unexpected characters. He always tells a strong story and for readers who haven't yet met these two vivid new characters, Benny and Penny, you can look forward to humor, fun, ingenuity, and a satisfying resolution to a new tale by this unique author/artist.

I was excited to see this new series in a new format from Geoffrey Hayes. I have been a fan since I began reading his Patrick and Ted books to my daughters many years ago. His illustrations are not glitzy but wonderful and appealing. His characters are genuine, and their actions and "adventures" ring true for young readers and listeners. I am excited and can't wait to see more of this new series.

I've been a fan of Geoffrey Hayes' books since "Bear By Himself". I've given them regularly as gifts and enjoyed reading them to my nieces, who are now reading them to their children. The narratives are always gentle, but involving, with just enough excitement to keep older children engaged. The whimsical drawings are full of colorful detail and hold up to repeated viewing. (Close scrutiny of the pictures and posters hanging on various walls can be fun for even an adult!) "Benny & Penny" might prove to be particularly useful in those families with sibling issues, as it deftly shatters boy/girl stereotypes and demonstrates the benefits of cooperation and good will. Highly recommended.

I just used this book for my student this afternoon and it was a great decision. He's 4 years old and was able to read most of the words by himself. He seemed a bit perplexed about the idea of comics (i.e., structure, the amount of visuals, etc) but loved being able to follow the story and couldn't wait to turn the page. The other two toon books (Silly Sally and Otto's Orange Day) will probably be better for a younger child and an older child, respectively. Can't wait for the other three toon books to come out this autumn.

This is a great collection featuring the key early issues that developed Wolverine's character for decades to come. These are the issues - first appearance, original mini-series, and Weapon X - that set up Logan's hardcore persona and mysterious past. A GREAT read for a seasoned Wolverine fan, and a PERFECT starting point for someone unfamiliar but intrigued by the character.

The ONLY downside is the Captain America issue included - it seems a bit out of place. Cap and Wolverine fight a giant robot? It might have been better to include an issue where Wolverine works with the X-Men or something.

Now this is an excellent collection. Hulk, the great Claremont/Miller mini-series, and Weapon X. Top marks for putting this one together. A fun cover, and this work is from back in the day when they weren't using Wolverine to sell lunchboxes, undies, and every second series or mini-series that Marvel felt like putting out, so it was a bit more special for that, and for X-Men fans at the time.

The inclusion of the first Miller/Claremont Wolverine TPB and the Barry Windsor-Smith Weapon X series make this worthy of the price. The Miller/Claremont collaboration is seminal and lays the ground work for pretty much all of Wolverine's subsequent adventures in Japan. It's 5 star work.

The Weapon X storyline is good and reveals the epic adamantium bonding process that Logan went through that is mentioned throughout so much of his history and, in particular, the 80s "memory plugs" story line in his regular series. The only bad things I can say about this is I don't think Smith had quite hit his stride as an artist and my expectations for Weapon X were so huge that I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed. Regardless, this is an excellent read.

Also included is Wolverine's first appearance in the Incredible Hulk 181 and a Wolverine solo X-Men adventure excellently drawn by Windsor-Smith, which features Lady Death Strike; I will say this is not the best story featuring Yuriko and it also features a Power Pack member, which is unfortunate, I think they were just trying to segue into the Weapon X story. There's also a Captain America annual which features Wolverine, which is ok, but feels like filler, which is why it loses a star.

This is it, the birth of the most awesome character in the marvel universe. It is amazing storytelling, great art inside and out, and a very excellent comic. Chris Claremont needs to go and slap the fools that are writing the works for the Wolverine comics today. This is the basis for which all others most follow and some are following it pretty poorly and with out dialog to explain their reasons.

Frank Miller did the Marvel Presents series who for you newbies did the graphic novel for the movie '300', so nuff said.

ALL in ALL:
I LOVE LOVE this series none better to my knowledge. A ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE to enjoy especially if you are new to the Marvel Universe and Wolverine in general. These are the stories that keep players like me in the game. OUTSTANDING!

You've heard it over the years how Wolverine is the coolest character in the world. You've seen the Hugh Jackman movies and now you're interested in the original comics that made Wolverine a legend. Well, then look no further than this hardcover volume. All the tales that made him the hottest darling of the comic-reading crowd in the 1980-90s are here.

The book starts off with Wolverine's first appearance in Incredible Hulk #181 (by creator Len Wein). Then we get the justly classic mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. After that we get a classic Wolverine-Captain America tale (that foreshadows a lot of what constitutes the duo's relationship now in "New Avengers" and "Wolverine: Origins") and a Wolverine-Lady Deathstrike tale. Finally, we have the entire "Weapon X" storyline by Barry Windsor-Smith. The book comes with a foreword by Chris Claremont explaining the creation and evolution of Wolverine over the years (with special emphasis on the now legendary car-ride he had with Frank Miller discussing how to revamp the character into a failed-samurai). Also included are all the covers and pin-ups related to the stories.

Big Top has become one of my 2 favorite strips! (The other is Pearls Before Swine). I was so happy to find out there was a Big Top book out, I had to run out and buy it. I'd already read all the strips in it but I didn't care, I love reliving the best storylines. If you like Big Top this is highlyly recommended! Even if you know all the strips, get it because there are funny "outtakes" that you can't get anywhere else. Brilliant!

One of my favorite strips of all time, Rob Harrell's "Big Top" series is right up there with Garfield and Doonesbury. (So what's wrong with your marketing people, Rob?!) Great fun to be able to relive the early strips, and only Harrell would think up adding OUTTAKES to his book! Hilarious!!! My only question is: Why is this guy not syndicated in more newspapers? He's great! If you like strips like "Pearls Before Swine" and "Foxtrot", you'll love this book!

How can you not like Big Top? This comic was the best thing going for its run. Harrel's skills as a cartoonist and strip writer are reminiscent of some of the great comics over the past 20 years. This is a high-quality production.

this is a DELIGHTFUL strip. if it isn't in your paper, read it online at http://www.ucomics.com/bigtop/. the best thing about the book is that not only do you get the beginnings of one of the best new strips around, not only do you get to meet wink (who used to be cool), and dusty (who used to have different name), but you also get outtakes. that's right, at the end of this book are the first comic strip outtakes i've ever seen. definitely worth your money.

The comic storytelling artistry of cartoonist Rob Harrel as showcased in his 'Big Top' syndicated strip, will serve to introduce newcomers to the quality of his work and enable previous fans to again appreciate the fun cartoon story of a pre-teen circus boy's coming of age. The black and white strips comprising Big Top are presented in chronological order for clarity of adventure progression and are delightful, whimsical stories.